UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships: Report, reaction and links
· World No.1s seize their destiny to win gold with dramatic Laser Run comebacks
· Guzi (HUN) catches Khalil (EGY) in incredible duel as Bryson (GBR) claims bronze
· Lukes (CZE) joined on podium by Gromadskii (RUS) and Seo (KOR)
The outstanding athletes of the 2026 season, Blanka Guzi of Hungary and Matej Lukes of Czechia, duly converted their hard work into gold on Finals day at the UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships.
Ranked No.1 in the women’s and men’s categories respectively, the Central European duo became world champions for the first time on an epic Super Sunday. But they had to be at their very best and most resilient to make it happen.
Guzi (HUN) won an unforgettable duel with the reigning champion, 15-year-old Farida Khalil of Egypt, who had started Laser Run more than half a minute in front. The 26-year-old’s results in the key competitions this season: 1st, 2nd, 1st, 4th, 3rd and 1st. This has been the season when the Paris 2024 generation fought back against the teenage uprising, and 27-year-old Kerenza Bryson of Great Britain repeated her bronze medal from 2023 after scraping into the Final with an astonishing Laser Run.
If Guzi (HUN) ended a long wait of 10 years for a Hungarian to win the women’s crown, it was 24 years since a Czech of either gender had claimed Pentathlon’s most coveted annual prize, but the success of Lukes (CZE) has certainly been coming. Having won silver and bronze last year in the Pentathlon World Cup Final and World Championships, the 24-year-old’s results in the key competitions this season have been 6th, 2nd and 2nd … and now he is part of the golden club.
Egor Gromadskii of Russia showed that his recent European Championships victory was not a one-off with an impressive silver medal, while Changwan Seo of Korea continued his resurgence with a bronze as the Egyptian challenge surprisingly faltered, defending champion Moutaz Mohamed (EGY) typically coming from behind to finish 4th and inspire a Team silver.
The Team gold medals won by Belarus (women) and Russia (men) showed the renewed strength in depth of global Pentathlon, and how hard those countries’ athletes have continued to train during the years of exile and neutral participation. And the uprising of China was unmissable, with a 5th place for Yuang Ma and an 8th place for Mingyu Zhang. While it was not a week for Laser Run world records given the humidity, Jana Attia (EGY) overshadowed team-mate Khalil (EGY) in the Women’s Final with a new Obstacle Racing mark of 25.17sec.
- Click here to view the Women's Final report
- Click here to view the Men's Final report
- Click here to view results from the Finals
- Click here to view photography from the Finals
Women’s Final: medallists’ reaction
Women’s gold medallist Blanka Guzi (HUN) said: “It was an amazing year, like last year and 2024. But right now I'm a little bit empty because I have dreamed a lot about this moment and it has come true. So yes, I knew I could do this, but right now … it's unbelievable. I'm really thankful for my coaches, for my staff, and as well my family.
“I’m a little bit disappointed with my shooting and my swimming because it was not my best, but before the last lap I just focused on the fifth shoot and I said ‘no matter what's coming, just do what you can’, and I could manage this moment so I'm really proud of myself.”
Women’s silver medallist Farida Khalil (EGY) said: “I am extremely proud of this silver medal. I had not competed for a long time because of injury and faced many difficulties during that period. When I arrived here, I was determined to prove to myself that I could continue, defend my title and fight for another medal.
“There were also many challenges during the competition. My laser pistol developed a problem when I arrived and the replacements available to me were also not working properly. Yesterday, that left me feeling that I wanted to keep fighting but might not have the opportunity.
“However, I told myself that whatever the circumstances, I would adapt to them, do everything I could and keep believing that I could succeed. What happened during this competition taught me a great deal. Sport is not only about who wins and who loses; it is also about the people who stand beside you and support you.
“I would especially like to thank Moutaz Mohamed, who gave me his laser pistol after finishing his own competition so that I could compete today. I am also very grateful to Switzerland’s Vivienne Meyer, who gave me her spare pistol and allowed me to keep it until the end of the competition.
“That support made a huge difference to me. It showed that although we are rivals on the field of play and everyone is fighting for a medal and representing their country, away from the competition we are friends. I am very thankful to everyone who encouraged me and stood behind me.
“I would like to thank everyone who supported and encouraged me during the past year, as well as all the coaches who stood behind me.
“Above all, I thank my mother and father. They remained patient, continued to support me and helped me reach this point in my career. I am also very grateful to my sisters, who stayed beside me through the difficult moments as well as the good ones. They have always supported and encouraged me, even making sacrifices in their own lives so that they could come and train with me.
“To the next generation, I would say that no matter how difficult the circumstances become, keep following your dream. Continue working, keep fighting for what you want and never give up. Achieving your dream is something very special.”
Women’s bronze medallist Kerenza Bryson (GBR) said: “I can't quite believe it. This whole day has been an absolute battle because yesterday I had to absolutely sprint to get the last qualifying spot to make it to even compete today.
“I was lying in my bed this morning, thinking I have nothing left, my tank is empty, but I'm just going to give everything I got for the team because we've got three girls in the final, and we've got such a strong squad, including some girls that didn't make it into the Final. We're so lucky to be training together, pulling each other up.
“So I was trying not to think about it the whole day, just get through it, give it my best, and I waited all the way to pretty much the last lap before I considered a medal, and I counted Blanka, and I counted Farida and went, ‘Oh my God, I'm in 3rd! Just don't let them catch me!’
“I can't quite believe it. This is my second bronze medal and the last time I got a bronze medal, our World Championships was in Bath, and that was an extremely special one. But this one means something different because I've been through such a battle and a journey to get here.
“It's been a hell of a ride, and starting a whole new sport has been more challenging than I ever thought sport could be. It's thrown so much at me, and I've just had to overcome so much and be so resilient this year, more so than any year before Paris, becoming an Olympian.
“I’m just so proud, so happy, and I want to say so much thanks to everyone back at home, my family, my friends, UK Sport and the National Lottery, Pentathlon GB. I know my parents are watching this, but my dad can't even watch it live because he finds it so nerve-wracking. He'll be finding out from my mum what happened, and then watching it on replay. I’m just so proud.”
Men’s Final: medallists’ reaction
Men’s gold medallist Matej Lukes (CZE) said: “I started to believe before the last shooting. I saw Mohanad Shaban touching his tummy and in my head I said ‘woah, I have a good chance to pass him!’ But in those last few metres I felt dead.
“Thanks a lot to everyone who got up today. I am really happy you watched and were able to see this. Anyone who has not seen it, you can watch on replay – I will be really happy for that!
“I want to say hello to my father, who to me is my biggest hero, this is for him. He Is a true master for me. I am happy I could make him proud. And it is also for my mum.”
Men’s silver medallist Egor Gromadskii (RUS) said: “After Swimming, I was feeling tired from five days of stress and competition. In the running, I felt that my health was not good but then my running and shooting was actually very good. I was running in 4th or 5th and thought I could run faster and win gold. I am happy with myself.”
Men’s bronze medallist Changwan Seo (KOR) said: “We are together as a team in Korea. The coaches and athletes are all working together. We were talking a lot today and I am very happy [with the result]. We still have the Asian Games to come as well. I hope I can take the gold medal there!”
President’s reaction
UIPM President Rob Stull OLY said: “Huaxi Lake Park in Guiyang provided a magnificent stage for the annual showcase of our reimagined Pentathlon, and the performances we witnessed at this World Championships showed once again the extraordinary versatility, resilience and skill of our athletes.
“We saw two great champions crowned, we saw three continents represented on the podium, but we also saw moments that will inspire the next generation and remind us why this sport is so special.
“The beauty of Pentathlon is adaptability, and we saw that quality everywhere in Guiyang. Our athletes adjusted constantly from one challenge to the next, and our organisers showed exactly the same ability.
“We leave Guiyang with great memories, strong friendships and enormous gratitude to our Chinese hosts. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make these Championships such a success. And now our Race Across China continues to Beijing, where we have another exciting opportunity to showcase the breadth and energy of UIPM Sports.”
A representative of Guiyang proudly receives the UIPM Pentathlon Park designation from UIPM President Rob Stull, officially recognizing Huaxi Lake Park, the venue of the championships, as a UIPM Pentathlon Park.
Watch and follow
The UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships has now concluded but the Race Across China continues with the UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships from September 2-6. Livestreams are available to watch free on YouTube.
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